20th January: Simon de Montfort v the Cisco Kid

·25 min·2 clips

Jake and Nat pitch Simon de Montfort's first English Parliament against the first talking Western film.

The episode begins with hosts Jake and Nat Tapley introducing Date Fight, a podcast where they pitch historical moments against each other for audience votes. Nat presents January 20th, 1265, when Simon de Montfort called the first English Parliament, a foundational moment for British democracy. He explains that de Montfort had defeated King Henry III in war to force this parliament. However, Nat reveals the dark context: de Montfort rallied support by promising to cancel debts owed to Jews, leading to pogroms that killed 500 Jews across English cities. He connects this to the 1255 murder of Hugh of Lincoln, where 90 Jews were executed based on blood libel accusations. Jake then presents January 20th, 1929, with the release of 'In Old Arizona,' the first full-length talking motion picture filmed outdoors. He describes its plot involving the Cisco Kid, an outlaw who tricks Sergeant Mickey Dunn into shooting his lover Tonya Maria. Jake shares that director Raoul Walsh was originally set to star but lost an eye in a jackrabbit accident, leading to a tangent about historical rabbit attacks including Jimmy Carter and Napoleon. The hosts then list birthdays and death days, including Joy Adamson of 'Born Free,' George Burns, and Barbara Stanwyck. They discuss Naomi Parker Fraley, who was the model for the Rosie the Riveter poster but didn't realize it until 2011, illustrating the 'Wuzel effect' of misinformation. Nat returns with another January 20th story: the 1156 murder of Bishop Henry by Lally on a frozen lake in Finland, complete with magical curses and Lally being chased by mice. The episode concludes with the hosts encouraging listeners to vote on social media for the winner.

As heard by us

Simon de Montfort is framed as a lively contest, with votes, birthday notes, and rabbit chaos keeping the pace up.

Datefight makes 20 January 1265 feel like a genuine contest, using Simon de Montfort as the anchor while keeping the political milestone moving at a brisk clip.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want British democracy, rabbit lore, and a vote you can cast online.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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